


Whumptober 2020 - 29 - Chance Meeting (Part 2)

by Celticgal1041



Series: Whumptober 2020 [29]
Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: Accidents, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Poisoning, Whump, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:35:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27272782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celticgal1041/pseuds/Celticgal1041
Summary: Juliet paused and smiled, her features hard and her eyes cold. “I promise you this – you’ll tell me everything I want to know before we’re finished.”
Series: Whumptober 2020 [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949548
Comments: 10
Kudos: 38
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Whumptober 2020 - 29 - Chance Meeting (Part 2)

**Author's Note:**

> This is a continuation of my day 28 story: Chance Meeting (Part 1). I recommend reading that one first to better understand the events in this one.

Rick paced as he relived Magnum’s collapse, unable to forget the strangled cry of pain that had preceded him falling unconscious. Things had moved swiftly from that point, with orderlies transferring him from the ground to a gurney, and then rushing him into an examination room where he’d been swarmed by a team of doctors and nurses.

While the investigator was being poked and prodded, Wright felt like he’d undergone the third degree. Sadly, there wasn’t much he’d been able to share. He’d freely related Thomas’ mishaps at the coffee shop, and how his friend had seemed absolutely fine until after his shower. The intense pain in his stomach had seemed to appear out of nowhere, and his decline from that point had been incredibly fast.

After waiting for what seemed like hours, they’d been given the smallest of updates: Magnum was alive; his blood was being tested; and they’d be allowed to see him soon. It was this last bit of news that kept Rick from losing his mind.

“Come sit with me,” Kumu said as she stepped into the bar owner’s path, her features filled with compassion. “Thomas will need our help to get through whatever this is, and you won’t be any good to him if you’re already exhausted.” She gently took his arm and guided him to a seat, pulling him down as she sat next to him.

Across the narrow aisle, in another row of seats, TC and Higgins offered him understanding looks, all of them on edge since Rick’s initial call and Magnum’s subsequent admission. Rick’s knee started bouncing with restless energy, Kumu’s hand resting gently on his to still the nervous movement. A second later, Wright practically bounded from his seat as he saw Thomas’ doctor approaching.

By the time the physician had arrived, everyone was on their feet. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting for so long,” he offered with a kind smile. “First, I want you to know that Mr. Magnum is resting comfortably; the pain medication we’re administering is doing a good job of managing his discomfort.”

The doctor looked down for a moment at the clipboard in his hands, before addressing them once more. “Has Mr. Magnum come into contact with anything unusual recently?”

The expressions on the friends’ faces reflected their confusion. “What do you mean by unusual?” Calvin asked.

“Has he eaten something new or been somewhere he could have touched or breathed in something that might be out of the norm?” the doctor pressed without clarifying.

Narrowing her eyes, Higgins asked, “What does this have to do with Magnum’s condition?”

“We found something strange in his bloodwork, and we haven’t yet been able to identify it,” the physician admitted. “Any information you can give us could go a long way to diagnosing and treating your friend.”

“You’re saying he’s been poisoned, and you don’t know by what?” Rick questioned.

Sighing, the doctor nodded. “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Without knowing what’s causing his symptoms, the best we can do is treat each one as it appears.” Turning to Rick, he continued, “As you know, that’s so far consisted of painful stomach cramping and he’s now developing a fever.”

Feeling somewhat overwhelmed by what they’d been told, Higgins suggested, “We’ll put together a list of anything we can think of – what he’s consumed, where he’s been for the past few days – and give it to the nurse within the hour.”

“That would be quite satisfactory,” the doctor agreed.

“Can we see Thomas now,” Kumu asked, knowing they’d be unable to focus on anything else until they’d laid eyes on the man.

“Of course,” the physician replied. He led them to Magnum’s room, letting them know he’d be back in an hour to check on his patient.

Unable to wait any longer, Rick led the way inside, some of the tension flowing from his chest when he saw the investigator sitting up and coherent. “Hey,” he greeted the man.

“Hey,” Thomas rasped back, his throat somewhat dry from the continuous flow of air under his nose.

“You look like you’re feeling better,” Rick remarked as he moved closer to the bed.

Magnum offered him a lopsided a grin as he said, “Given that I apparently collapsed outside the hospital, I don’t think it would take much.” When Wright winced at his words, he hurried to reassure his friend. “Thanks for getting me here, so I could get some help.”

Rick shrugged off his friend’s gratitude, grateful when the others joined him around Magnum’s bed. “So, you talked with my doctor?” the investigator asked, getting right to the point.

Higgins nodded. “Yes, we’ve been asked to provide a list of anything out of the ordinary that you might have experienced over the last few days.”

Thomas gave a soft huff in reply. “Won’t help. I haven’t done anything unusual, but he keeps thinking there’s some sort of clue for him to find.”

“Maybe he’s right,” Kumu began.

“No,” Magnum shook his head. “Ask the guys; I’m actually pretty boring and predictable.”

Calvin shrugged in response. “He’s right. Other than working a case, you’d probably find his picture next to the definition of _creature of habit_.”

“And we haven’t had any cases since last week,” Higgins concluded.

“Exactly,” Thomas agreed. “The most excitement I’ve had for days was my run in with Calamity Jane this morning.” At the confused expressions on his friends’ faces, he asked Rick, “You mean you didn’t tell them?”

“I’ve been a little preoccupied with other stuff,” Wright admitted.

“What does a Wild West performer have to do with your day?” Kumu asked with curiosity.

“She wasn’t really Calamity Jane,” Rick began, pausing to glance in Magnum’s direction. The investigator barely lifted a hand as if to say, “keep going”.

“She was just really clumsy and ran into Thomas this morning at the coffee shop, spilling his drink everywhere,” Wright continued. “And then she tried to help.”

Magnum rolled his eyes. “Not sure _help_ is exactly what I’d call it,” he remarked somewhat breathlessly.

“Is that what happened to your face?” Calvin interjected, having been wondering about the darkening skin around the man’s eyes.

Thomas gently touched the tender skin. “Yeah, we both bent down at the same time,” he began, pausing to inhale, “and had a meeting of the minds.”

“And that was before you slipped and fell,” Rick finished with a grin on his face.

Higgins had been quiet the entire time, a thoughtful expression on her face. There was something familiar about the story, but she couldn’t for the life of her figure out what. Before she could say anything, Kumu broke the silence in the room. “Thomas, are you alright?” The older woman had moved closer to Magnum’s bed and was now resting a hand on his forearm.

Slowly, Thomas’ face had become pinched with pain and his breaths had grown shallow. He’d thought it was the weariness of what he’d been through so far, but now his chest was feeling uncomfortably tight and heavy. With a faint look of fear in his eyes, he met Kumu’s gaze as he softly replied, “Not sure.” He brought a hand up to his chest as the heaviness continued to increase, every breath becoming a struggle.

“I’ll get the doc,” TC stated at once, turning and exiting the room at a barely controlled jog.

Thomas’ inhales were now noticeably laboured, his breaths shaky and clearly less than satisfactory based on the blossoming panic on his face. A doctor entered the room, followed by a nurse who immediately ushered everyone out. A last backward glance in Magnum’s direction had the friends’ worry spiking as the bed was reclined and an oxygen mask affixed to the ill man’s face.

* * *

“I’m afraid the poison is progressing, and Mr. Magnum’s condition is worsening,” the doctor shared when he’d exited Thomas’ room.

“There’s gotta be something you can do,” Rick pleaded, his feelings of helplessness overwhelming.

“His best chance of survival is identifying what he came into contact with and administering the appropriate antidote,” the physician replied. “Our lab is testing various possibilities, but it’s a slow process, and one that Mr. Magnum may not have time for.”

The words squeezed Rick’s heart, making it skip several beats and he swayed in place at the thought of Thomas dying. A warm hand on his shoulder brought him back to the moment, and he found himself looking into TC’s dark eyes. “Let’s not count him out yet,” he murmured as a gentle reminder of what they’d collectively managed to survive in the past. Wright dipped his chin in reply to let the other man know his message had been received.

“Can we go sit with him?” Kumu asked, needing the proximity to deal with the knot of worry in her chest.

“Yes, but don’t expect him to interact with you,” the doctor replied. “He’s holding his own right now, but if his oxygen levels drop, there’s a real chance intubation will be required. His fever has also spiked so we’ve administered a light sedative along with antipyretics to help him rest.”

“That’s fine, doc,” Rick replied. “He’ll do better knowing he’s not alone.”

The group of friends turned towards Magnum’s room as the doctor departed, Higgins halting mid-step as the memory she’d been grasping for earlier came rushing back. “Bloody hell!” she exclaimed to herself as understanding dawned.

The trio paused at her words, sending her matching confused looks. “I think I may know something that will help,” she stated as she turned to leave.

“Higgins, hold up,” Calvin replied. “You can’t just drop something like that on us and take off.”

“Please, trust me on this,” Juliet answered. “It may be something, or it may be nothing, but I need to check into alone.” She placed particular emphasis on the last word and then waited for the others’ reactions.

It was clear by how long the silence stretched that they weren’t happy with her reply, but finally Rick agreed. “Okay, but you call us the moment you have anything – anything at all.”

Higgins gave a curt nod in reply before hurrying from the hospital.

* * *

After too many hours filled with anxiety, sitting in uncomfortable plastic chairs, and bad coffee, there was finally some good news: Magnum would recover.

Higgins had been away for just over two hours, looking somewhat dishevelled, but triumphant, when she’d returned. She’d refused to offer any details, simply locating Magnum’s doctor and providing him with information about what the investigator had been dosed with. That knowledge had allowed an antidote to be administered, leading to the P.I.’s much improved state.

Despite numerous questions about out where Higgins had been, she’d consistently rebuffed every attempt, and found herself relieved when the investigator began to wake, shifting the attention away from her.

“Tommy, welcome back,” Rick greeted him with a smile when the ill man’s eyes opened.

Blinking several times as he sought to orient himself, Magnum asked, “Where’d I go?”

From the foot of the bed, Calvin replied, “Nowhere, man, but we’re glad you’re awake.”

Thomas’ brow furrowed as he slowly recalled earlier events, his heartrate speeding up as he remembered the pain and how hard it had been to breathe. “Hey, none of that now,” Rick admonished kindly. “You’re going to be fine.”

“You figured out what happened,” Magnum stated with no hint of a question in his tone.

“Actually, Juliet holds the answer to that, but she’s refusing to share,” Kumu interjected, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she glanced at the Brit.

Thomas’ gaze shifted to Higgins, who self-consciously brought her hand up to cover her split lower lip. His eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out what she was hiding, even as Juliet’s thoughts went back to her earlier absence.

_“I know what you did, and you’re going to tell me what you used so the doctors can help him,” Juliet stated with no hint of uncertainty in her tone._

_She’d finally been able to recall hearing about a situation, the details of which were far too similar to Magnum’s ‘accidental’ encounter with Melinda to be mere coincidence. In that case, too, the poor victim had fallen ill and then died, with the medical staff unable to determine what he was suffering from._

_When Higgins figured out that much, it had required a couple quick calls to her contacts at MI-6, plus a poorly veiled threat to another, to gain the information she sought. The intelligence had proven sound when she’d corned Melinda in a private workout room at a high-end gym in Honolulu._

_“If you know what I did, then you know I won’t tell you anything to help him,” Melinda replied._

_Juliet moved closer as both women fell into fighting stances, both waiting and watching for the other person to make the first move. “Who wants him dead?” she asked as they circled one another._

_“You’ve been around long enough to know I won’t answer that,” Melinda smiled even as she closed the distance between them and kicked out at the former intelligence agent._

_Higgins easily shifted out of the way, striking at the other women’s leg with a forceful downward hit before Melinda could fully retract her leg. “What poison did you use?” she pressed._

_Melinda jabbed at Juliet’s face, the Brit dodging the hit and grabbing the other woman’s arm so she could land a blow to the would-be-assassin’s ribs. Releasing the other woman and letting her stumble back a couple steps, Higgins tried again. “Tell me what the doctors need to do to treat him, and I’ll let you live.”_

_Melinda shook her head, wisps of fine hair sticking to her sweaty forehead. “I’m not giving you anything.”_

_Juliet paused and smiled, her features hard and her eyes cold. “I promise you this – you’ll tell me everything I want to know before we’re finished.”_

_What followed could only be described as a thorough and brutal beating, Higgins following through on her promise and extracting the information she’d been determined to secure. She’d wasted no time in returning to the hospital once she’d finished, and Melinda was lying unconscious on the floor of the gym, simply sending a pre-arranged signal via text to another of her contacts who would come in and take care of things for her._

_Even as she’d shared what she’d learned with the doctors, part of her remained fearful that she’d been misled, and Thomas wouldn’t actually recover. When he began to improve, she allowed herself to begin relaxing, comforted by the knowledge that her friend and partner would live._

Pulling herself from her thoughts, she found Thomas’ piercing gaze still on her, and she absently found herself thinking he could be more intimidating than most people would expect. Surprisingly, his face broke into a wide grin. “Thank you, Juliet.”

“What? Hold on, don’t you want to know what she did?” Rick asked.

Settling more comfortably into his bed, Magnum replied, “I know what she did; she saved me.” With that he closed his eyes and smiled, drifting off with the knowledge that he had friends who would do just about anything for him.

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to AZGirl for proofing; all remaining mistakes are mine.
> 
> This part of this story was based on the day 29 prompt: Such wow. I think I need a doctor: intubation / emergency room / reluctant bedrest
> 
> Thanks for reading and I'd love to hear your thoughts if you're so inclined!


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